*DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to the Twilight Saga and it's characters. This is purely artistic fiction drawn in inspiration from Stephanie Meyers words.
BELLA POV
We spent nearly all night reconnecting and talking. During our reunion, Emmett was eventually replaced by Rosalie and then Jasper. None of them disturbed us except Rose, who audibly gave a disgusted sigh every time Jake shifted his weight. He didn't pay her any mind nor was he irritated by their constant presence. Rather, he ignored them altogether. We moved from standing to being cuddled up in the corner of the couch. The way we were facing inside the room was closest to the windows along the eastern wall and revealed that the sun was starting to peak over the horizon. I noticed Jake's head drooping forward and the slouch in his posture. It was obvious—he was trying desperately not to fall asleep. His eyes fluttered shut every couple of seconds, and when they reopened he would glance down at me with the same tired, reassuring expression. I knew he was putting on a happy face, attempting to pay attention and hold a conversation while being physically and emotionally exhausted. It was genuine, and I know he missed me but he also needed rest. I gazed up at him, gently placing my hand along the contour of his jaw. His warmth thawed my icy fingertips, and despite our even more intense temperature difference, it was just as comforting as it always had been. The perpetual sun to my newly eternal moon.
"Jake, you've got to get some sleep. It's early—the sun's up again." I whispered.
"I'll sleep later. Right now, all I want is to spend time with you." He murmured, albeit his eyes slowly closed after the last word he spoke.
"You can do that later," I tried to sit up but his arms coiled around my midsection and wouldn't budge. I pushed down the notion of using my newborn speed to slip out of his embrace. "You can hardly keep your eyes open."
"Just resting them, Bells," he chuckled before continuing with a somber tone, "I spent three agonizing days thinking you were never gonna wake up. Let me have a little more time, please." He kissed the top of my head and my resolution evaporated.
Jake was right. I put him through literal hell. Besides the monumental mess of becoming immortal, all of his grief had been cut short due to the nature of his imprint. It would be insensitive of me to expect to revert to the way things between us were before. We would never be that way ever again. Maybe after everything was said and done, and all the danger was gone, we could find a modicum of peace and monotony. We'd be able to settle down, carry out the plans we'd talked about so many times, to live happy, long, ordinary lives—as normal as life can be for a vampire and a werewolf. That was if we survived the Volturi. I didn't know when they'd arrive, but I knew it was soon. I turned my attention elsewhere to avoid thinking of the near future involving them.
"Alright, five more minutes couldn't hurt." I agreed, a soft grin painting my lips. Jake's eyes cracked open a tiny bit and he stole another pensive look at me. He mirrored my expression, a watered-down version of his typical smile—my favorite smile—slowly surfaced and then straightened out as his eyes fluttered shut. Jake began to succumb to the lull of sleep.
His behavior reminded me of a toddler refusing bedtime, stuffed animal clutched to their chest in a trusting hug. I couldn't resist his charm and his adorable yet sleepy smile. Maybe just a little longer... I watched the clock beside the fireplace on the wall parallel to the TV. In the quiet, I gazed lovingly down at his peaceful form. He was deep asleep and softly snoring. My eyes studied the gradual rise and fall of his chest, and I listened to his slow, steady heartbeat. I removed myself from his hold and covered most of the length of his body with the fluffy, off-white throw blanket from the back of the couch. Hopefully, Esme wouldn't mind it smelling of wolf. Nothing the washing machine couldn't solve, right? Did they even have a washing machine?
A peculiar thought floated into the forefront of my mind. All of my stuff, my clothes, my jewelry... my home with Charlie. While I knew there were several empty ones in the Cullen's mansion of a house, especially upstairs, I was unsure of what came next. This wasn't like spending the night. I didn't have an official space to call my own at this very moment in time but I lived here. I was a permanent fixture in the Cullen's world. This was my life—err, unlife. How would I go about asking what room was mine? Should I ask? The nitty gritty details were gnawing at the back of my skull. When I turned around, Jasper looked up from his copy of 'A History of the Modern World' and pointed toward the kitchen. I read his expression slowly, realizing he was signaling me. Following his unspoken instruction, I joined him around the corner, along with Alice, who was lazing cross-legged on top of the black granite counter.
"How're you feeling? Any changes?" Alice leaned closer to me, her eyes mischievously twinkling in the bright sunlight streaming in through the vast windows.
"You mean, 'Are you hungry'?" I scoffed and folded my arms over my chest.
"It's fer' precaution. We don't wanna risk you takin' a bite outta Jacob's wolfy hide." Jasper's nose crinkled, "even if he is smelly."
"I won't." I shrugged defensively.
"You're a newborn, your senses aren't quite as sharp as ours yet." Alice corrected with a snarky grin.
"Does that mean he'll start smelling like a wet dog to me soon?" I frowned, envisioning the scenario in my head.
"Possibly." Jasper hid a well-placed smirk.
"Backtracking, are you doing okay, Bella? Or are you just saying it to deflect as usual?" Alice reiterated.
"Yeah, I'm fine. All things considered," I wasn't hungry, I wasn't tired... I felt great. My humanity was much too overrated.
"I'm always here if you want to talk." Alice placed her small, childlike hands on either of my shoulders.
"All of us are." Jasper emphasized, "We're family now."
"Speaking of family, is now the wrong time to ask... if I have a room?" I mumbled. "It kinda hit me just now."
"That is something we can't answer, you should talk to Esme about which ones are available. As far as clothes and other accessories, I've got you covered." Alice beamed, rubbing my shoulder.
"Yes, I know that, Alice. I'll go ask Esme now since he's asleep and all." I sighed.
"You do know we don't breathe, right?" Alice stifled her giggle.
"Right," my mouth formed into a hard line, "it's gonna take a bit to get used to." I frowned, "I can't help it. It's out of habit, haven't been immortal very long."
"It's a curve ball, ain't it, Bella?" Jasper furrowed his brow, I suspected he was sensing my discomfort.
"Yeah, and I'm a clumsy ice skater in the outfield with a hockey stick." Thankfully, my sarcasm managed to stay intact. Both Jasper and Alice quietly laughed. I don't know why ice sports came to mind first, but they did.
"You can find Esme in her study. It's on the second floor to the right. You can't miss it." Alice said.
"Thanks," I replied stiffly.
I tapped into my hidden abilities, wishing not to wake Jacob up. With my speed, I was up the stairs and on the other side of the house in mere seconds. I caught Esme's scent once I rounded the landing. She smelled of fresh linen and sandalwood, something I didn't notice as a human. She must have heard me and stepped out of the room in question. I almost bumped straight into here but managed to skid to a stop using my feet as anchors.
"Good morning, Bella. How're you doing?" Esme extended her hand to grasp mine, I returned her sentiment.
"I'm doing well, as far as I know. I was wondering if I could ask you a question, though."
"Well, don't be shy dear. What is it you need?" Esme stared into my eyes. Her expression held a motherly softness, one that Renee never possessed.
"I was thinking... I didn't ask and it never occurred to me before, but do I have a room? Here?" I gritted my teeth together. Even as a vampire, I still felt awkward at times. That part might always be engrained into my DNA.
"Of course, Bella. We have several that aren't occupied. Do you have a particular one in mind?" She smiled warmly at me and passively rubbed her thumb over the top of my knuckles.
"Can I maybe have one on the first floor?" I had limited knowledge of the floor plan of the house. The only thing I didn't want was to be close to Edward's room.
"Hmm, yes, but I think I have a better idea altogether. Would you give me just a moment? I'd like to speak to Carlisle about it." I was confused. What did she mean? I hoped I hadn't said something wrong.
"Sure, I'll go back downstairs." I nodded and turned on my heels. On the way down to the main floor, I ran into Alice who guided me unwillingly toward her room.
"What is it now, Alice?" I huffed.
"You're gonna be so excited! I don't want to ruin the surprise." She eyed me up and down. "Although, you're gonna need to change."
"I already changed into this outfit last night."
"Yes, and it's been a day—practically. Also, it's good hygiene, Bella. Trust me." She picked at the dress she had fitted me into less than twenty-four hours ago, measuring up a skirt and blouse combo beside my slumped figure. Alice swatted gently at my shoulder and I fixed my posture, flashing a pout.
"Oh. Speaking of... any chance I can take a shower? It's been a minute." I replied.
"Anytime. This is your home, Bella. But I'd wait a little longer if I were you."
"Why would I wait? Jake is sleeping, now would be a perfect time." Alice was full of riddles, as always.
"He's going to be awake in t-minus five minutes." She peered down at her diamond-encrusted wristwatch, tapping the face with her dainty index finger.
"He's only been asleep for like, an hour!" I tried to swallow my irritation and rubbed my temples.
"Well, it's because of the surprise."
"Can't you just tell me? You know I hate surprises. That much hasn't changed."
"You'll find out. Let's go!" Her tone was bubbly and gleeful, an infectious combination. I couldn't help cracking a smile in response. Or was that Jasper?
I followed her back downstairs, hiding my anxious curiosity that was burning a hole through my thoughts. Alice brought the outfit she picked out while we were in her room and expertly tucked it over her forearm. As we walked into the living room, Carlisle and Esme joined us from the northern hallway. I walked up to them as quietly as I could muster.
"Bella, regarding your room," Esme whispered excitedly, "we want to show both of you." She exchanged a happy look with Carlisle, who smiled just as brightly.
"Show me? Both?" I repeated.
"Yes, we thought it would be best if Jacob and you had your own space," Carlisle explained.
"Thank you but—" I tried my best to understand. "I'll admit I'm a little confused." I was flabbergasted.
"Considering your history with Edward," Esme nodded curtly, "and that you're engaged, soon to be married—"
Carlisle interjected, "We wanted to be mindful of your feelings and also limit any possible future confrontations. Edward can be very emotional."
"That is v-very kind and I truly appreciate it. What do you mean by 'separate space'? Please tell me you didn't buy another house?" My stomach twisted into uneasy knots. I loathed when anyone spent more than five dollars on me, heaven forbid if they decided to buy a whole other home...
"As I said, we'd prefer to show you. I hope that's alright." Esme softened.
"Yes, that's alright." I lied. "One moment, I'll wake him up." I steadied myself for a brief second and stalked to the couch.
Jake was still heavily asleep under the blanket, right where I left him. I pressed my fingertips to his exposed upper arm, and his weary eyes shot open and darted around. Oh no—my cold hands—I didn't mean to startle him. I forgot he wasn't accustomed to the change in my temperature just yet.
"Where's the fire?" He grumbled, sitting up sluggishly and shoving the blanket off with pointed apprehension.
"No fire, Jake," I murmured, "Esme and Carlisle have something for us."
"Really?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hands and stretched.
"Yes, they want to show us right now." I urged, reaching for his hand.
"So I see." He studied my expression, looking between them and me. Jake stood up from the couch and stifled a yawn with his other hand.
"I promise you'll be able to get some more rest afterward. We were too excited to wait. I know you'll be comfortable there." Esme smiled at Carlisle and then at us.
"I don't suppose you want to stay here, Alice?" Carlisle chuckled, noticing her eager expression from across the room.
"Are you kidding? And miss the look on their faces? Not a chance." Alice twirled, hugging my outfit to her chest.
"Let's get going then, if we walk it will take a few minutes." Carlisle prompted.
"Wow. That close?" Jake fought back another yawn and draped his arm over my shoulders. I settled into his blistering warmth and we headed toward the front door.
"Yes, it's quite close. We planned it that way so that in the event of an emergency, everyone would be readily available should you need help." Esme replied. I surmised if that was an unintended jab toward my unstable newborn status but I didn't take it personally.
The walk was short and soon enough a small building came into view. Upon further inspection with my sharp eyesight, it was a quaint cottage that had chipped, eggshell-hued paint on the exterior with matching brick embellishments and pale yellow shutters. I continued to marvel at the treasure they'd hidden away from the world. It was doused in a layer of visible charm, a thicket of evergreen climbing ivy intricately climbed to the very topmost portion of the brick surrounding the house. Multicolored wildflower patches and an assortment of blossoming fruit trees adorned the perimeter. Honey bees and tiger swallowtail butterflies traveled along the highway of beautiful flora, gathering nectar from one blossoming bloom to the next. It was enchanting—picturesque—a scene tore directly from the pages of a Jane Austin novel. They couldn't possibly intend to give this to us. This was ours? No way...
"Welcome to your new home!" Esme gestured toward the cottage, confirming my suspicions. Jake was taken aback, his brows arched and his mouth hung open in dubiety. He didn't believe it either.
"You can't give us this." My eyes lit up with a mix of pure wonder and incredulity.
"Not at all—we insist. It's yours." Carlisle handed us two sets of keys, a proud grin tilted the corners of his mouth upward on either side.
"Now do you understand what I meant by 'you'll want to wait to shower'?" Alice jabbed my side and I blinked rapidly. Oh. Oh. She didn't mean... oh my God. Wait a minute here, did she just insinuate—
"What was that?" Jake interrupted my scattered thoughts.
"We'll give you your privacy. However, let me extend a gentle reminder." Carlisle's expression turned solemn, "you might be hungry later this evening, Bella. As a newborn, your appetite will be a lot stronger than ours."
"Yeah. I'll swing by the house after we get settled." I'd worry about it later. "Again, thank you both so much. It's gorgeous—I love it." While I didn't consider myself much of a hugger, I squeezed both into a combined, tight embrace. Jake didn't share my exact sentiment but I knew he was warming up to the idea.
"Thank you." He muttered, nodding toward them. Jake extended his hand to Carlisle, who respectfully shook it in return. Esme read his body language and instead of a hug, held his hands in hers for a few moments.
"Speaking of this evening, we should discuss preparations for the Volturi's arrival. Bella needs training, she has to learn to control her abilities." Alice interjected. Jake dropped Esme's hands and sidestepped toward her, puffing his chest slightly.
"Promise me that she won't get hurt." He glared down at Alice who tossed her head back with a careless laugh.
"She's a newborn. I don't think any of us could hurt her even if we tried."
"Jake, she's right. I'm the strongest right now, but I do need to learn how to control it." I protested. A tiny puff of air escaped his flared nostrils and he relaxed. His arms wrapped around me in a protective stance.
"I don't want anything to hurt you." He sighed softly.
"Jacob, we can assure you no harm will come to her. It will be just like the training we did for the newborn army. Just friendly sparring, one on one. I sincerely doubt it will come down to a fight." Carlisle added.
"Alright, as long as I can come too." He agreed.
"That's perfectly fine. You're a part of the family, too. You're Bella's mate." Esme replied, her tone understanding and genuine.
"That's an interesting perspective. I never thought I'd imprint on a vampire yet here we are." He let out a hearty laugh and then it was silent again.
"Have fun, you two. Do try not to break anything, the furniture and art are from my vintage collection." Alice smirked, tucking the outfit into my arms, and disappeared in a blur before I could chastise her.
"Ignore Alice, she is the very essence of youth sometimes." Carlisle shook his head and wrapped his arm around Esme's side, who fault to hide a shocked expression.
"I understand her humor, Carlisle. We're best friends after all." I shrugged. "Thank you again," I smiled at Esme.
"You're very welcome, dear. Don't hesitate to ask for anything. I hope you have a lovely afternoon." Both of them disappeared, too and the silence became deafening.
"Shall we?" Jake peered down at me with an inquisitive look. I nodded shakily and attempted to swallow my fear.
"After you." I nudged his side.
"Nah, we'll do it together." He said mischievously and lifted me into his arms bridal style. It startled me and I let out a yelp melded with a giggle.
"I could probably pick you up now." I mused.
"You could," he admitted, "but it might hurt my ego a minuscule amount."
"So—what you're saying is that it would bother you if I started tossing you around like a sack of potatoes?" I laughed, leaning my head onto his shoulder.
He stepped onto the concrete stoop and I finagled my set of keys, trying several of them until one unlocked the deadbolt. I turned the doorknob for him, and he shuffled sideways so we could enter through the narrow entryway. Jake set me down on my feet again, closing the door behind us that latched with a tinny-sounding click.
"No thanks, She-hulk." He kissed my forehead tentatively and a chill ran down my spine.
Alice's quip about showering played in my mind on a continuous loop and drowned out any thought of a rebuttal. Was I nervous to be alone with him? It wasn't like a lot changed. That was a bald-faced lie... I was different, entire worlds different. For once, I felt attractive in my skin. I was confident, coordinated, and strong. If anything was going to happen—it would need to be a serious conversation first.
"Maybe next time," I responded carefreely.
"This place looks like a hotel on the inside." Jacob eyed the many sculptures and architecture adorning the walls and the furniture. "I was expecting homey, like the outside."
"Not if Alice is around. Homey equals cheap to her." I arched an eyebrow out of curiosity.
We slowly wandered through each room, which was fancier from one to the next. The first room we looked at was the living room, followed by the kitchen and spare bedrooms. There were many aspects to the cottage that matched the Cullen's house, but the actual walls and layout were older. A lot of the furniture was brand new and still had price tags on it. I tried not to think about it while we meandered through the maze of impeccable and expensive oddities. The worst part came when we finally reached the far end of the cottage—the walk-in closet. In true Alice-like fashion, literally, there were rows upon rows of clothing racks all neatly stuffed and organized on the walls. The cubbies were bursting with high-end shoes, purses, and other things that reminded me of a well-stocked, luxury brand store in the mall... I grimaced at the thought of becoming a walking Barbie, forgetting I was still holding the outfit she had picked out for me earlier. Jake and I exchanged stone-faced looks before we broke down in a riotous fit of laughter.
"Don't tell me this is all for us? I didn't realize we were keeping up with the Jones'." He wheezed.
"You can't even complain. You saw what it's like. Her room—ahem—collection. It makes sense that it looks the same in here." I stifled another chuckle.
"We've got to redecorate. If I see another bland, boring, greek statue or weird abstract painting, I might go nuts." Jake wrinkled his nose and scrubbed a hand down his face.
"Hey, I can appreciate some of the art in here. I'm sure a lot of them are original pieces... you're right though. We'll have to put up proper decor, like picture frames and other important memorabilia. Stuff that screams us." A sentimental smile graced my lips and I stole a peek at his eyes. They were soft and gazed down at me with palpable adoration. Jake closed the gap between us and pulled me into his arms, dwarfing me with his monstrously tall height.
"I agree with that." He pressed a silent kiss to the crown of my head, "I think there's still more rooms' after this one." His voice was a lot quieter and smooth like velvet, it made me involuntarily shudder.
"Yeah, the main bedroom I think," I murmured in his fiery hold. "Are you still... tired?" He had no sleep, how was he still functioning?
"Maybe." Jake's voice was lower now, and more deliberate in pace.
"Maybe?" I squeaked, dropping the outfit Alice gave me onto the floor.
"I don't think I'm tired anymore but I'd still like to see the bed." He crooned. If I had a heartbeat, it would be doing the samba in my chest right about now. I pulled out of his arms to peer up at his expression. My eyes widened at his serious countenance. I didn't say anything but instead turned away from him and continued toward the door to the bedroom. He grabbed my hand still perched on the handle and held it there in place, his forearm came to rest above my head and to the right. Jake's torso was pressing into my back, and his musky ocean scent filled my lungs with a sultry vengeance. My mind went blank as his heat started to de-ice my frozen form.
"J-Jake?" I whispered.
"Yes, Bells?" He murmured against the shell of my right ear and another shiver danced up my spine.
"What're you doing?" I asked. He pulled a bulky weft of my long auburn hair away from my neck. I could feel his breath on my nape and the supple warmth of his lips trailing the slope of my almost-bare shoulder.
"Mm, nothin'." He cooed. I felt a wave of fierce anticipation strangle my wishy-washy tendencies. This was it. He's never acted like this before, he must be sending signals! Take the bait...
"It doesn't feel like nothin'," I mumbled, leaning into his touch. He pulled back and my head shot up in the confusion of his absence.
"Anyway, where were we?" He said coyly.
Anger. No.
"Jake," I growled, flinging back around to stare into his eyes. We needed to talk. Now.
"Yes?" Jake was living for my reactions, he was innocently toying with me. Why? A voice in the back of my mind told me the answer. At first, it was a tiny whisper, and gradually increased to a full-on shout. Fight back. I refused it, rational thinking only...
"I think we should talk." I forced a breath through my nose and out of my mouth, and with it came some irritation. Even if I didn't need to complete human functions anymore, the action helped calm me.
"What about?" Worry momentarily flashed across his features before the wistful, desiring gaze was back. It would have made human me's knees buckle—but not this me.
"It's kind of important." I continued, and his hand propped against the door. He leaned over me, inching closer to my face with his own. Focus.
"Go on." He grinned, and I made myself swallow thinking it would help. We haven't kissed since my change. My mouth was watering at the thought of it. Wait, what was that bitter taste? It wasn't familiar. I swallowed again and it went away.
"Well, for starters, what's with this change in attitude?" I gritted my teeth together, pushing through the building hesitation in my head.
"Change in attitude? Like what?" His other hand cupped my jaw and I lost the capability to form a coherent sentence. Jake started moving closer, he was going to kiss me.
"Wait!" I managed, squeezing my eyes shut as tight as possible. His touch softened, and I felt him back off. When I opened my eyes again, the worried expression was back.
"What's wrong, Bells?" He whispered, "Are you having second thoughts about us?" Hearing that sentence hurt me internally and I winced.
"No, I'm not. I just wanted to discuss things because our relationship has changed."
"What is it? Is it my scent?" Jake completely backed away from me. I started inadvertently frowning.
"No, actually, you smell wonderful to me. I don't know what everyone else is talking about. I wanted to talk about your imprint and what it means for us."
"It means that you're my true love, we are bound together by the ties of fate. It's not a lot different than the commitment of marriage, but it's on a more intense, genealogical level."
"I know all that, Jacob." My eyes narrowed, and I held my nonexistent breath.
"Okay, what else is it then?" His shoulders slumped forward in defeat.
"I just want to know how much of it is you. What I mean by that is—well, before the imprint, you would have never acted like that. You regularly rebuffed me." I pouted, "I want to know if this attraction is influenced strictly by your imprint."
His eyes softened, and he stared back deeply into my eyes. Jacob wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight embrace.
"Bella, this is all me." His voice was strained, I could swear I heard the start of tears somewhere under the surface.
"I hate to say this but... I had to fight to get any type of that affection from you before my change. I'm worried that this is only because you imprinted on this version of m—"
Jacob interrupted, "No, no. Bells, listen. I love you. It's more than just a physical connection, it's on all levels. I spent seventy-two hours in complete and total mourning. I didn't know if you were dead or if it would work and I sure as hell didn't predict that I'd imprint when you woke up."
"But what part is wolf imprint and what part is you? What part is my Jacob?" I pushed out of his arms and away from his chest, splaying my fingers out over his pectoral muscles. He groaned and I realized I pressed too hard. "I'm sorry—I don't even know if I can control my thirst around you or my strength. But here you are, pushing the envelope."
"I'm still me, just like you're still you." He placed his hand over where my heart used to beat and carefully grasped my jaw so I would look at him. "It doesn't matter that I can't hear it anymore—it's still with me. It'll always be with me. I lied when I said I'd stop loving you when your heart stopped beating. I remember everything before the imprint. Watching you die broke something in me, but I don't care if I get hurt. I just want you. In all forms, and in every way possible." I stared up at him in awe of his words, wanting to cry but knowing I physically wasn't capable.
"Jacob..." I croaked. He grabbed my left hand and held it to his cheek.
"This ring signifies my love for you before the imprint. I loved you then just as I love you now. Bells, I'm not afraid anymore." He released my hand and then coiled both arms around my midsection.
"I love you, too. I'm sorry, I needed to know."
"Don't be sorry, honey. You can tell me anything." Jacob cupped my face and a wave of familiarity washed over me. "I have one question for you."
"W-what?" I whispered.
"Can I kiss you?" His thumb stroked the thickest part of my cheek and my eyes instinctively fluttered shut. Suddenly I was transported back to the kitchen at Charlie's, my hands, legs, and arms tangled up with Jacob, and about to have the best first kiss I could have wished for. If it wasn't for being vastly different physically than I was then, I might not have realized the difference. I could feel it.
"I think I would like that."
I felt all of the tension dissolve. In those brief words—it was simply, irrevocably, and entirely—us. As we stood there in the total silence of the cottage, I came to an epiphany. Two hearts of separate physical mechanizations, one that was free and wild and the other devoid of life, both housed by the same soul split in twain. Our connection was the very definition of love as modern life depicts with a few inexplicable twists thrown into the fray. Jacob was and would always be what I was searching for and needed. My perpetual safe haven and home. Forever.
*I'm sorry I have been lagging so bad with these chapters ya'll. D': My life has been horrible chaos.
*I will hopefully be uploading another two chapters immediately. I have most of them written.
*I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's on the lighter end of the spectrum. :') Write me a comment and drop a heart! I love talking with ya'll. I think we're nearing the end of this fic. I've already started another WIP. :P